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Piranhartist β Paper Mario Style Tutorial
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Published: 2013-03-15 21:13:06 +0000 UTC; Views: 26563; Favourites: 338; Downloads: 307
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Here's the tutorial that you all voted for! I tried to make the esthetic of it a bit more exciting than having a blank background, because goodness knows whenever I look around for tutorials I myself tend to look for the ones that are a bit more exciting on the eyes. xD
The example character I used is Sun Dial, a boss character for Chapter 2 of my Paper Mario: Fortune of Fear project. Of all the bosses I thought up for the project he was my favorite design wise, so this gave me the perfect excuse to color him up~
Hopefully you guys'll get some use out of this
Enjoy~
Sun Dial (c) Myself
Paper Mario (c) Nintendo
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Comments: 95
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This just becomes complicated.
How do I make a completely white duplicate?
How do I end up with a background?
More stuff wasnt answered either.
It's a good tutorial but it is missing key elements.
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Considering this tutorial is over 4 years old, there's definitely some techniques that I've since improved upon and learned how to streamline moreso than this, so its perfectly understandable some stuff might be missing. Both when I had made this, as well as in present day- it's intended to just explain what my own process for achieving the technique was, not some perfect by the books guide. You should use it as merely a reference point for exploring further and improving upon the ideas in your own ways. And if there's anything specific that I didn't already explain above, then you're more than welcome to ask.
As for a 'white duplicate', I can apologize on my part back then for not explaining it as in depth as the other elements with the interface. But this tutorial does assume you have some general understanding of digital art programs. All that step is asking you to do is copy & paste that same white layer which you created at the start of the tutorial, again. Or in photoshop's case, right click the layer and click the word 'duplicate' to achieve the exact same thing.
The backdrop is completely unrelated to the tutorial, and it's only purpose was to serve as a visual indicator for how the white around the character was cut away from the magic wand tool, hence why in ( ) I stated it's not included. It was just a little visual extra for the fun of it as opposed to using a flat color.
You'll need to clarify what 'more stuff' wasn't answered that you'd want further elaborated, as in all the years this tutorials been up you're the first to really take so much issue with it. At the time of making it I tried to be as thorough as possible with explaining my process, so anything that wasn't answered is likely stuff I outright did not do in creating the effect as a whole.
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No worries man! Thanks particularly on the backdrop clarification!
You can find on my profile my finished attempt following your guide and I have to say, I managed to get my head around it in the end!
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I'm glad to hear you were able to figure it out! :>Β And I think the piece came out really nicely for a first attempt!
Much of the first portion for the tutorial is sort of frivolous mock-up effects to get it looking like a paper cut out compared to the actual style itself, which mostly focuses on using an airbrush for shading then adding a highlight to the shaded areas of the character 
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Thanks very much!
Im using the final image as my new YT icon!
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Used up to Chapter 4.
Starlow - Paper Mario Style
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This and pretty much all my digital work is done with Photoshop CS6! Though techniques like those shown in this tutorial I'm pretty sure can be pulled off in other programs as well! :,> Just the locations for certain tools and effects will probably be in different places.
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Thanks for the info! Wanted to try "paparization!"
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Thanks for the awesome tutorial!
And I tried!Β krakuetta.deviantart.com/art/Pβ¦
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Glad it could be helpful to ya! :,D And that came out awesome!
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well this is really handy, I more or less had an Idea of how to make this BUT they still came out pretty bad 
but thanks for this little tutorial, hopefully I get it right now
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Haha! Glad it could be of some help to you! :,P And best of luck with it!
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If only I had a tablet, I could do this sort of thing... it's VERY nice and detailed, yet easy to follow. :3
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Since this art style doesn't have a dependence on really intricate blending, or a lot of tapered lines that'd be suited for a tablet/pen pressure, I think if you have an understanding of the pen tool you can definitely pull it off! :,D Or at least experiment with it for an idea~
And I'm glad it could be easy to follow! ;v;
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Guess what, I officially used the "Paint" thing on my dads pc to create a paper mario character! It looked like a robot with a red shirt and stuff. his name is lighting robo and dad did most of it like the shading while I did things like the colour. Why not you try?.
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That's awesome! : D I've got my own program of choice to work with as is, so I'll have to pass on messing around with it- if it's the same paint program I'm thinking of though then I used it a ton when I was a kid, and it's definitely a really fun starting point to work from when it comes to digital art.
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No problem! <,D Glad that it could be of some help to ya <3
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I wanna make paper mario style characters for my project but I don't have photoshop. So I will try using the "paint" thing on my dads pc. that's possible, right?.
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Sinice ps is the main program I use, I wouldn't know hot to execute this in other things. There's nothing wrong with applying what you found here though and seeing if it works with something else! :]
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How about a tutorial for people that DON'T have Photoshop? ^^
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Seeing as photoshop is the only program I own/use- that can't really work. xD;;;
The best I can suggest is look up the general terms for different functions I used in this! Like the pen tool, the stroke effect, the multiply blending mode, ect, and research the art program you're using for where similar functions might be available! :> Even if they're arranged differently- functions like that tend to be somewhere or another in all standard programs. ;D
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Wait, isn't Sun Dial originally from Mario Party 4?... Well, the character he's based off of, at least... He looks very similar.
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You're thinking of Brighton from MP6! ;DΒ themushroomkingdom.net/images/β¦
Sun Dial was made before I had actually played MP6 I think, though the design wound up pretty similar in the end xD
I got to how this character looked by combining the ideas of an Angry Sun with a Magikoopa basically
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Huh, interesting... :3 I like the design, admittedly. Almost looks like Brighten wearing Twila's robes, doesn't he?
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I attempted to follow this tutorial.. The shading is not good yet because I used mobile..
milesthecreator.deviantart.comβ¦
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This would be abit more helpful if it helped with hand drawing, but helpful nevertheless.
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You can still visually apply the same techniques here with traditional work, you just have to work at it from a different angle ;D Because artwork from Paper Mario is inherently created with digital mediums, the best way of replicating it is going to be in digital. It's not impossible to do traditionally though.
For instance the major thing with the style besides the bold black outlines is having the "light tracing" around the shadows right? So instead of shading all the way to the edges, shade a slight distance away from all the lines and gradually blend into whatever your base color is. That can probably get you a similar effect
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Thank you!
Great tutorial! Once I get a tablet, I shall definitely try this out straight away!Β
One quick question: Do you need SAI or photoshop to make this? Or both?
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I only use photoshop- but the general idea of the tutorial could likely apply to either program! Or any number of free ones~ :>
And thank you! Glad you were able to find it useful
Lol''shade or not to shade, that is the question!!''
Nice tutorial!
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Thanks!
You make cool tutorials, but this is the one I like.
In chapter 3 and 4, will serve to the original style?Β I wonder for this:Β www.mariowiki.com/images/8/82/β¦
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Try it out and see!
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I will try it! Although I need a lot of patience.Β Β
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Haha nice dude! xD He looks super cute!
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Aw, thank you very much! : D
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Oh hey would you try make a video about how you know do this tutorial?
By the way, it is kinda confusing see what things i can do by flowwing the instructionsΒ Β
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...Could you please explain what it was that you found confusing? I can try to help explain it clearer than what I've written out above. :> The tutorial does assume that you have a basic understanding with digital art programs however, it's not intended for someone just getting started.
I have no intentions of making a video I'm afraid. This tutorial has been up for a few years and thusfar you're the only one to have had any sort of issue.
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